New piece from Timothy C. Takach – “Fragile” for SATB and hand drum

SATB and hand drum

Ferocious singing and gorgeous writing collide in “Fragile” by Timothy C. Takach. Moving over an incessant drum beat, the singers use percussive text and lyrical lines in contrast. A slow, thoughtful section provides a respite while setting the stage for a powerful closing. Enjoyable to perform and affecting to hear. Click here to listen, watch, and view a perusal pdf.


You now know that anything could happen;
things that never happened before,
things that only happened
in movies and nightmares
are happening now,
as if nothing could stop them.

You know now that you are not safe,
you know you live in fragile skin and bones,
that even steel and concrete can melt away,
and that the earth itself can come unhinged,
shaken from its orbit around the sun.

You know, now that anything can happen,
it’s hard to know what will,
and what will you do
now that you know?
What words will you say
now that you could say anything?
What hands will you hold?
Whose heart will beat inside you?

– Joyce Sutphen
– Used with permission.